Who is Tim Walz? What we know about Kamala Harris’ running mate
Democrat Tim Walz became Minnesota’s governor in 2019 after six terms in the House.
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Kamala Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her vice presidential running mate on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the decision, thrusting him into the national spotlight and adding a key ally to Harris’ fast-moving campaign for the presidency.
Walz, 60, brings political acumen, suburban and rural appeal, and progressive patriotism to a race in which all three criteria are seen as helping Democrats pull off a 2024 victory against the Republican ticket of former President Donald Trump and Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio.
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Walz, a military veteran, former public school teacher and six-term congressman, is now serving the sixth year of his eight-year term as governor of the North Star State.
He has been an ardent supporter of President Joe Biden and was a surrogate for his reelection campaign. After the president’s disastrous performance in the June debate, Walz often went on the radio to defend Biden and boast about the administration’s accomplishments, even in the face of doubts from Democrats.
After Biden dropped out of the race on July 21 amid growing concerns about his age, Walz took to Platform X to call him “an American hero” and say history will “look back fondly on his legacy.”
Biden endorsed Harris as his successor shortly after announcing his decision.
In naming Walz as her running mate, Harris chose a pro-union Democrat who can speak to the concerns of blue-collar workers in Midwestern states and beyond.
Walz’s current term ends in 2026. If Harris and Walz win in November, the governor would have to resign from his current position and Peggy Flanagan would serve out the remainder of his term.
In being chosen by Harris as the running mate, Walz beat out several other high-profile politicians considered by the campaign.
They included Governors Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan; allies from key swing states like U.S. Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona and Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania; seasoned professionals like Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina; billionaire businessman and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker; and rising political star U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Translation by Joanna Jacobo Rivera
